INTS 274-01, Contemporary Issues in Inter-American Relations, Spring 2008

Abstract

This course will introduce students to the evolution of inter-American affairs, with an emphasis on past and present relations between the United States and Latin America. Our overarching goal for the semester is to understand the consequences of U.S.–Latin American relations for democracy, human rights, and economic prosperity in the Western Hemisphere. The first segment of the course addresses U.S. involvement in Central and South America during the Cold War and the continued relevance of these policies today. We then analyze U.S. efforts to promote democracy during the post-Cold War “Age of Uncertainty.” The second part of the course focuses on inter-American economic and social relations; in particular, we will grapple with the much-debated issues of immigration and trade.